


Thyme and again

by LeafoftheFox



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:41:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22463527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeafoftheFox/pseuds/LeafoftheFox
Summary: The ghost king has no chill in instances of sudden unexplained time travel
Relationships: past Nico di Angelo/Will Solace - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: as much as I regret to say it I do not own Percy Jackson or any of its' related works *wipes tear from eye* (if I did the books would all be one run-on story with few breaks for paragraphs and heart-wrenchingly abysmal grammar)  
> This is a repost from fanfiction.net

Nico started and stumbled forwards at the sudden unfamiliar disorientation dropping the cards he'd held limply in his hands in shock. "Wh-Where?" he asked himself dazedly as he tried to rein in his thoughts and get his (shorter?) limbs under control.

He glanced around at the intimately familiar games and flashing lights in horror "The lotus casino..." he murmured disbelief tinging his tone. This wasn't possible Nico was sure just seconds ago he and Will had been… uh. Nico blushed banishing the thought from his mind.

His eyes caught on familiar black hair and his mind stalled like a video buffering. His sister waved one hand in front of his face and spoke the words sounded as if they were coming through a barrier of water "-co. Nico are you okay?" Some of her words finally breached the shield around his mind

"B-Bianca!?" he stuttered somehow unable to deny this sight as an illusion when the mannerisms, the sights, everything was so perfectly flawed. Bianca his dead sister was alive. He didn't know how, he didn't know why and he didn't know if he really cared, after all she wouldn't be the first of his sisters to come back to life. Though Nico had been certain it was impossible to find someone again after reincarnation.

"I- I- S-Sorry. I'm just tired," he finally blurted out. Bianca frowned worriedly, but ultimately nodded and wandered off to play on of those games she was so obsessed with after he gave her an awkward cheesy grin.

* * *

It had been a week since Nico had returned to the lotus casino and he quickly learned than not only were his limbs shorter, he'd completely de-aged to his ten year old form. As far as Bianca was aware that _was_ his age. Somehow, he had travelled back in time.

Since this realisation and acceptance Nico had been extremely overprotective of his big sister he hadn't let her out of his sight and he'd been so nervous the slightest touch would lead to him practically jumping the one who'd initiated contact. The boy was struggling to hide his twitching from his sister so most of his 'watching' had been… discreet.

It was while he was watching Bianca that Nico saw him. Through the huge leaves of the plant he was hiding behind "Percy!" he blurted out before he could process the thought and hastily launched himself at the other boy clutching him in an inescapable hug.

"Percy, Percy help! Bianca'saliveandwe'reinthecasinoandI'myoungerandIdon'tknowwhereWillisandIdon'tknowhowIgothereandwhatdoI _do,_ " he babbled out the long string of words never pausing for breath and whining out the last word helplessly. When Nico looked up at his ex-crush's face he saw a look of complete shock and confusion. Percy's eyes were wide and he balked "uh, um, dude, do I know you?" he asked stallingly, glancing around for an escape.

'Ugh, you're so stupid!' Nico mentally berated himself 'You're back in time of course Percy wouldn't know you'.

"Um. No. I just… mistook you for someone else, sorry," with that Nico bolted, not even giving Percy time to respond as he retreated into the crowds of people to continue keeping an eye on his sister. He saw Percy searching around for him in confusion, but he quickly gave up and returned to the game he'd been heading towards.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next few days(hours?), as much as he tried, he couldn’t ignore Percy. He tried focusing on Bianca, but seeing her like this after so many years became increasingly painful. He tried focusing on the games, but Percy would show up on pretty much every co-op game there. He even tried getting back into mythomagic on his own, but his mind would inevitably be drawn to the figure his sister had died for. The one Percy had brought back to him.

  
He hadn’t yet spoken to other again, he couldn’t do it, but avoiding him completely was proving impossible.   
Slowly, he found himself watching Percy more than his sister. Seeing the boy, younger than Nico had ever known him, steadily figuring out exactly what was wrong with the casino.

  
The closer Percy got to the truth, the more Nico knew he was going to have to make a choice. Was it really his place to make that choice? What right did he have to change the very fabric of reality other than being the unfortunate soul to have stumbled across the opportunity? So much pain could be prevented, but so much could go wrong.

  
The consequences of being back in time hit him full force now. All this thought of death, and the future… He hadn’t been thinking about the people of his past, only his past now. If he was the only person who had come back here, then changing things would change those people. It was like they were dead, or worse, like they’d never existed at all. Was that worth it? 

  
Then again, there was of course, also the factor of his memory to consider. He didn’t have perfect recall and if media had taught him anything it was that even the slightest of changes in the timeline could cause a snowball effect. Those people wouldn’t be the same anyway if he didn’t have exactly the same reactions to and effect on them as before.

… Could he really stand by and just watch so many people mourn and die? 

  
If he did this, if he took action like he knew Percy would in this situation, then he could save so many people. Beckendorf, Silena, Bianca, a long list of the dead and missing.

  
Nico didn’t know how long he’d been thinking, but the sight of Percy and Annabeth talking to a bellhop with a struggling Grover between them snapped him from all further deliberations. He had to make a decision and he had to make it now.

  
He and his sister had been safe in the Lotus casino for decades, as soon as she left, Bianca would be in danger. For her own safety, Nico would have to leave her behind. No matter how much it hurt or how angry she would be when she found out, his sister’s safety was more important than anything.

  
He bobbed and weaved through the milling bystanders, desperate to follow the questing trio ass they made determinedly for the door. Thoughts of him and his sister in this place with games and good food dragged at him, the closer he got to the doors.

  
“Would you like one of our new platinum cards?” the same bellhop that had earlier waylaid Percy, Annabeth and Grover seemed to materialise in front of him.

  
“No,” he bit out, speeding past the man. He wasn’t going to risk losing them. He knew that if he didn’t leave now, the allure of staying safe here with his sister forever would be too strong.

  
One last lingering look at the chaotic mass of people and flashing lights was all he allowed himself once he finally reached the exit.  
‘Goodbye… Bianca.’ The soft thought was almost lost in the tornado of half formed plans and cut off hopes. She would be safer here and if he managed nothing else in this second chance of his, he would keep his sister alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know this is a lot of setup and not much payoff, but I really wanted to get Nico's thought process across. I've been blown away by the support on this one guys and in celebration of two hundred hits (the most on any story for me so far), here is your next chapter. I also want to thank a friend of mine who helped me shift some paragraphs around when I got stuck at two hundred words. I hope you enjoyed it and I'd love to have feedback.  
> ~Leaf

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if Nico seemed a bit OOC, but I just imagined after so long being panicked and basically alone he just sort of broke down, desperate for support from the first familiar(and still alive when he left) face he's seen since coming back in time.  
> I've been thinking of continuing this so if any of you think that's a good idea please let me know.  
> Hope you enjoyed,  
> ~Leaf


End file.
